Hop Hornbeam

Ostrya virginiana

Hop hornbeam is the tree for the challenging understory where nothing seems to succeed. Deep shade, dry rocky soil, thin hillside soils. conditions that eliminate most other small trees are exactly where hop hornbeam performs. The distinctive hop-like seed clusters hang in pale green papery sacks through late summer and fall, a textural detail that makes the tree look like something out of a botanical illustration. Yellow catkins dangle in spring before the leaves emerge. The bark has a distinctive shredded, fibrous texture that catches light differently throughout the day. Songbirds eat the seeds through fall and winter. American goldfinches are particularly attracted to the seed clusters. This is a long-lived, slow-growing tree that anchors the difficult spots in a woodland garden without ever demanding attention.